


beneath the skin

by blue--phantom (twilightscribe)



Series: my hollow heart has bled me dry [14]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Hunters, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Family Feels, M/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-29 23:45:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11451549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twilightscribe/pseuds/blue--phantom
Summary: Jesse's family finds out about the incident that nearly killed him. Needless to say, they don't take it well.





	beneath the skin

“You should tell your parents.”

Jesse blinks, the haze having faded within the past few weeks, “Tell them what? That I nearly died? They know what our work entails.”

“They deserve to know about the… changes you have been experiencing.”

“You didn’t turn me, Hanzo.”

Gently, Hanzo smooths down Jesse’s hair, “I very nearly did. It was close, Jesse. You do not know how much. Anymore of my blood and you would be just as I am.”

“Hanzo… this isn’t cause you blame yourself, is it?”

Hanzo twitches, looks away and down.

Pushing himself up, Jesse winces at the stiffness in his joints. The thirst still burns at the back of his throat, but it’s easy to ignore, but he fears for his self-control should Hanzo be injured. Control should come with time, though, but right now his immediate concern is Hanzo himself.

“Y’know that wasn’t your fault. You did what you had to do.”

“I feel I could have done _more_ ,” Hanzo growls, hands balling into tight fists. “I could have been faster. Stronger. Anything to have spared you this… this fate.”

Jesse bumps his shoulder against Hanzo’s, letting his head drop to the other’s shoulder, “I’m not dead. I haven’t been turned. You said so yourself. It’s gonna be okay. I’m not mad and they wouldn’t be either. And y’know… you didn’t lose me. It’s alright.”

Hanzo turns, brushing his lips against Jesse’s forehead, “And for that, I’m grateful. But I never wanted you to come so close… if I had to turn you, to save you, I… I would do it. Without thought. Because I fear losing you. I cannot go back to the way things were before.”

“And I wouldn’t leave you alone, darling,” Jesse replies. “You know that.”

“But I could damn you.”

“You’re not _damned_ , Hanzo. Don’t go thinking that. And alright, I’ll fill my parents in – they’ll probably not like it, but they like _you_. It’s gonna be fine, don’t you worry your pretty little head.”

“With you, I always worry.”

 

 

 

Jesse sends word through an encoded letter, though he leaves out the details about the changes he’s been experiencing lately. But he expects that Gabe’ll see right through him; the man wasn’t one of Overwatch’s top hunters for nothing.

The last thing he expects is for his parents to show up right at the door of Shimada manor.

His immediate response is to turn and flee.

Gabe grabs him by the nape of his clothes, “Wait right there, don’t move! You’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

With a sigh, Jesse tilts his head back, “Uh, thought I did all that already.”

Holding up the now crumpled and heavily lined letter, Gabe scowls, “He nearly _turned_ you, Jesse. Do you know what that means?!”

“That I’m not exactly, 100% human anymore? Yeah, I noticed,” Jesse deadpans. He tugs his collar free and crosses his arms. “But it was the only way to save my life. I’m not about to leave him. And he… he couldn’t live with the thought of living without me.”

Jack smooths his hands over Gabe’s shoulders, “Gabe, it’s alright. Jesse’s fine.”

“You’re _my_ kid, y’know,” Gabe says, jabbing a finger at Jesse’s chest. “And I… damn it, Jesse! Why do you gotta put me in this situations?! First, you bring a vampire home. I could live with that. Then, years later you nearly die. I can’t live with this, god damn it!”

“What was it you said to me once?” Jack asks, softly. “Didn’t you say yourself that you didn’t think you could live without me? It’s the same for them, Gabe.”

Like he always does, Hanzo appears at Jesse’s side in the blink of an eye. He bows to both Gabe and Jack, “Please, forgive me for not greeting you properly.” He doesn’t straighten, remaining bent at the waist, “And… I am deeply sorry for what I have done to your son. It was not my intent, but… as you said: I could not bear the thought of life without him.”

“One of these days, you two are gonna be the death of me,” Gabe says, dragging his hands down his face. In that moment, he truly looks old. And Jesse can see why the man retired; he’s clearly tired, the decades of walking the earth and hunting what haunts the dark having taken its toll on him.

And Jesse wonders how many years he’s got left in him.

“It’s not your fault, Hanzo,” Jack says soothingly. He’s holding Gabe’s hand tightly as he speaks. “It’s a dangerous line of work. We’ve known that a long time. And it’s a risk that Jesse’s chosen to take; we accept that.”

Gabe tugs his his partner closed, kissing his temple, and sighs, “I know how dangerous it can be. That there’s a good chance of death. Especially for a human. Guess it’s a good thing that you’ve got an edge now…”

“Guess so,” Jesse murmurs. He misses his hat, and instead fiddles with one of the long ends of the tie that holds his yukata closed. Clearing his throat, he changes the subject, “You two gonna stay long?”

“As long as you need us,” Jack says, with a nod. “We thought you might appreciate the company.”

Slow to straighten, Hanzo hesitantly meets Gabe and Jack’s gazes, “I will have rooms prepared for you. Please, come this way.”

It’s not the end of it, Jesse knows that. But it’s a start and that’s something.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Words:** 916 words  
>  **Prompt:** “Wait right there, don’t move!"
> 
> Written for an anonymous prompter over on [my tumblr](http://graysonflynn.tumblr.com/). I'm slowly coming out of my hole, alright, and getting back into the groove of things. Hopefully, there's going to be something new on the horizon soon.


End file.
